Friday, August 31, 2012

Crime and Punishment: Part Five

I have not written my summaries for part five, and I do not think I am going to do it. I am really struggling through this novel.

So let's add another new character because Russian names are not confusing at all.

In part five, so much more is added to the plot: a new character, Andrei Semionovich Lebeziatnikov, the young man Luzhin is rooming with, is introduced. He lives in the same building with Katerina Marmeladov. Luzhin does not like Andrei much, and the feelings are mutual because when the two are invited to Marmeladov's memorial dinner, Luzhin considers it a great moment to frame Sonya, and he accuses her of stealing money from him; but Andrei saves her reputation and points out that Luzhin planted the money on her.

Even before all of this business, Katerina fights with her landlady because Katerina seems to think she is superior to everyone else. It only speeds up her demise as she is not well physically or mentally. Eventually, before the end of part five, she succumbs to her death. Enter Svidrigailov, who rescues the children and takes them off the hands of Sonya, who has her own problems. Maybe Svidrigailov is not such a creep after all.

Back to the main character:

Now that we have all of that that cleared up, we can backtrack to Raskolnikov who cannot handle his guilt any longer and tells Sonya that he killed Lizaveta. Of course, he did not mean to; she came to the apartment unexpectedly after he had already murdered Aliona Ivanovna. Immediately, Sonya tells him to confess! But Raskolnikov really does not want to go to the police.

There was only one Napoleon, and you are not him.

Interestingly enough, after this conversation, Lebeziatnikov had come to tell Sonya that Katerina was dying, and on the way to see her, Lebezianikov tells them that in Paris they have conducted experiments to cure the insane by logical arguments. One scientist believes there is nothing wrong physically with the person, but that insanity is "a logical mistake, an error of judgment, an incorrect view of things."

Sounds like someone I know. Raskolnikov said he made a mistake. He thought he could be like Napoleon! He thought he was included with those who were above the law. But he certainly had an incorrect view of things.